Judge Delays Decision In Bear Researcher Case

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — An administrative law judge has delayed a ruling and given both sides more time to file papers in the case of Minnesota bear researcher Lynn Rogers, who’s fighting to win back his research permit.

Chief Administrative Law Judge Tammy Pust says in an order dated Tuesday she has reopened the record until Friday afternoon because of 28 pages of new documents from the Department of Natural Resources. Rogers argues the documents buttress his claims of bias.

The judge is giving both sides time to update their filings based on those documents. She says she’ll issue her recommendations within 30 days after that.

The decision on whether Rogers should get his permit back will then be up to the DNR, which says Rogers’ practice of hand-feeding bears poses a safety risk.